Why it matters
The producer
Pickers return to Château Doisy-Védrines six to eight times during the harvest, taking only bunches affected by noble rot at the right stage. Noble rot removes water from ripe grapes and concentrates sugar and flavour, so successive passes separate the fruit ready for sweet wine from the rest.
Château Doisy-Védrines holds Second Growth status in the 1855 Bordeaux Official Classification. Its wines are among the richest and most full bodied in Barsac and require a minimum of five years of bottle aging.
Place and vineyards
Where the wines begin
The estate occupies the highest clay limestone plateau in the Haut Barsac commune, within the Sauternes appellation. Its ground combines limestone, sand and clay with iron soils.
Sauternes names the sweet wine appellation, while Haut Barsac locates the estate on its highest hilltop. Noble rot concentrates sugar in the grape, and acidity keeps the finished wine balanced.
Wines to know
The range in view
Château Doisy-Védrines is the estate's principal wine. The blend is 80% Sémillon, 15% Sauvignon Blanc and 5% Muscadelle, giving Sémillon the largest role in the wine's sweetness and body.
The 2004 vintage carries honeyed pear, orange citrus and cake spice, with acidity balancing the fruitiness. Young Château Doisy-Védrines wines are balanced and work well as aperitif wines.